From Forest Trails to Alpine Peaks – How One Skipton Mum Found Her Way Back to the Slopes

There are moments in life that feel like they were written just for the heart. For Katie Fox, a mother of three from Skipton, that moment came wrapped in snow, mountains, and a surprise she never saw coming. After years spent building a life around her children, her community, and her outdoor childcare business, she is finally trading muddy boots for ski boots once again.

Katie, forty-four, has just won a dream skiing holiday to the French Alps after securing more than a third of the public vote in VIP SKI’s Back to Ski competition. Her name rose to the top from hundreds of hopefuls, propelled by a touching nomination from her twin sister, Anna Chapman, whose heartfelt words captured the spirit of someone who never stops giving.

For Katie, skiing has always been more than a sport. It is a place of freedom, a reminder of who she was long before early mornings and packed lunches filled her days. Yet life, as it often does, had other plans. Between raising her three children, navigating a divorce, and growing Wild Explorers—the outdoor forest holiday club she founded during the pandemic—there was little time left for the slopes.

That sacrifice struck a chord with voters across the country. Over thirty-seven percent of them rallied behind her story, helping her secure a holiday worth £3,466 to La Plagne’s newest luxury residence, The Graciosa. The alpine escape promises everything a skier could dream of, from ski-in ski-out access to a private lounge, bar, and massage room, all nestled at more than two thousand metres above Plagne Centre.

“I still can’t believe it. I’m absolutely thrilled,” Katie said, still glowing from the news. “Skiing was always such a big part of my life, but there’s no way I’d be able to go again, especially somewhere like this, without winning. I’m so grateful to Anna for nominating me and to everyone who voted. It really means the world.”

Her sister Anna was equally delighted, describing Katie as “the most adventurous, hard-working person” she knows. “She truly deserves this,” Anna said. “I can’t wait to hear every detail when she’s back.”

Katie will be joined by her partner, Lee, for a week among the peaks, swapping long train commutes for chairlifts and mountain air. It is more than a holiday—it is a reminder that even the most selfless lives deserve moments of joy.

Nicola Hardy from VIP SKI said that Katie’s story “embodies everything this competition stands for—celebrating people who have stepped away from the slopes to prioritise family, work, or life’s challenges.”

For Katie, that balance between care, courage, and adventure has always defined her. Whether she is leading children through forest trails or carving new paths on fresh snow, she does it with quiet strength and an open heart.

This winter, as the snow falls on La Plagne, it will mark more than a return to skiing. For Katie Fox, it is the beginning of her next chapter—one filled with gratitude, grace, and the reminder that sometimes, the greatest journeys are the ones that bring us home to ourselves.